Port LouisCapital
Mauritius · Country profile
Port Louis is the historic capital of Mauritius, the busy port city of the Indian Ocean that fills the west coast of the island between the palm of the harbour and the walls of the mountains, one of the great trading cities of the sea lanes between the continents. The capital since the eighteenth century, when the French founded the port and the fortress of the town, it is a densely packed city of the colonial streets, the grand buildings, the market halls and the fortified citadel, layered with the majority of the Indian, the Creole, the Chinese and the French communities of the island society. The markets, the fort, the mosques and the museum of the city anchor the essential visits, while the harbour, the hill forts and the lively port districts carry the constant maritime commerce of the nation. Warm, crowded and profoundly cosmopolitan, Port Louis is the beating commercial heart of the island of the rainbow nation.
About Port Louis
Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius. The city's documented population is around 149,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR) and English and French are spoken; the dialling code is +230. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport.
The Mosque and the Market of the Capital
Port Louis is a compact, lively capital where the essential circuit moves between the mosque, the market district and the citadel of the hill, with the harbour and the waterfront of the town carrying the maritime life of the port. The great covered market of the city, with its produce, its spices and its crafts, the museum of the island history and the fort of the Adelaide crown the classic visits, while the view of the mountains and the port from the citadel gives the sweeping panorama of the bay. The Pamplemousses gardens of the nearby coast and the Aapravasi Ghat of the immigration history lie within the short reach of the capital, and the whole town runs the busy, many-cultured rhythm of the island nation.
The Fortress of the Adelaide and the View of the Harbour
The climate of the capital is the warm tropical of the island, with the humid, rainy summer and the cyclone season of the southern months, and the drier, sunnier winter season the classic pleasant months of the year. The rupee is the currency, with the English, the French and the creole of the island the languages of the town. The mosque quarter, the market and the fortress make the core circuit, and the gardens and the ghat of the coast lie a short ride away. Light clothing, sun protection and comfortable shoes for the warm humid streets complete the preparation for the busy capital of the island.
The Gardens of the Pamplemousses and the Route of the Coast
The citadel of the Adelaide, the great star-shaped fort that crowns the hill above the harbour of the capital, overlooks the whole of Port Louis and its bay and hosts the cultural events and the cafés of its ramparts. The mosque of the Jummah, whose white towers rise above the central market of the city, is the most elegant religious building of the capital, and the Aapravasi Ghat of the waterfront, where the indentured workers of the nineteenth century first landed on the island, is honoured as the beginning of the long journey of the Indian community of the nation. The vegetable market of the town, the enormous covered market of the colourful produce and the spice of the island, and the curry houses of the surrounding lanes that serve the famous food of the capital, complete the essential, richly cosmopolitan circuit of Port Louis.
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- Country
- Mauritius
- Population
- 149,000
- Coordinates
- -20.4302, 57.6836
- Capital
- Port Louis
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Mauritian Rupee (MUR)
- Languages
- English, French
- Calling code
- +230
- Country code
- MU
Entry requirements for Mauritius
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Mauritius for tourism.
Getting to Port Louis
Airports we list for Port Louis:
Frequently asked questions
Is Port Louis the capital of Mauritius?
Yes — Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius.
What currency do I need in Port Louis?
The local currency is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR). Languages spoken in Mauritius include English and French.
What is the dialling code for Mauritius?
The international dialling code for Mauritius is +230.
Which airport should I fly into for Port Louis?
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) is the airport we list for Port Louis.
Do I need a visa to visit Mauritius?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Italy currently enter Mauritius visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Port Louis? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.